Author Topic: Fuel Gage Not Working  (Read 4875 times)

BobH

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #25 on: May 25, 2024, 18:01:16 »
Sounds worrying, is the ignition on when you do this and get a spark?

Swapping the blue/black and blue/green shouldn't cause any problem especially if the sender isn't connected.  If the sender is connected, then as i said earlier, the gauge won't work until the tank is empty and the reserve lamp will be on all the time. 

As long as black/blue, the +ve feed isn't on the wrong pin.  Perhaps you have pinched the wires somehow

I've mailed Leo, lets see what we come up with before you go any further
February 1965 230SL Automatic
UK delivered RHD
Papyrus white, blue hard top & hub caps
Blue soft top
Blue leather

acbrock

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #26 on: May 25, 2024, 20:57:54 »
opened the connector and it stopped sparking.  So I much have pinched something clamping it down.

Joy... so now with it plugged in I am getting no reading of full or the reserve light when jumping 3 to 4 or 3 to 6.  So I must have done something when I had the cluster out.  So I guess it will have to come out again!  But going to take her out and see if she Speedo and tach are good....
« Last Edit: May 25, 2024, 21:05:36 by acbrock »
1966 230SL Automatic 717G Papyrus White "Minny"

BobH

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #27 on: May 26, 2024, 09:01:45 »
So, i removed my earlier post about the technical manual, it was confusing

The images in the tech manual state that the numbers shown do not match the actual numbers on the male of female connectors, that was confusing me, but then i'm easily confused

The picture on here is clearly correct, the male connector from the cluster.  The connections on the female side obviously need to match this

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=22075.0

Perhaps post a picture of both sides of your connector before going any further
February 1965 230SL Automatic
UK delivered RHD
Papyrus white, blue hard top & hub caps
Blue soft top
Blue leather

BobH

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #28 on: May 26, 2024, 09:18:28 »
Ok so I put all the wires like I posted.  Put everything back together.  Not the Fuel Sender Yet but when to attach the battery the ground on the battery and it sparked.  This is the first time it has done that...  Does that mean I have have some wires shorting each other out.  Maybe getting pinched in the connector?

Unplugged the connector and tried to connect the battery.  Spark and a little smoke as soon as it touched.  Oh boy.   

I matched all the colors to this diagram and then the plug like Leos on the Sender

So, after consulting with Leo, and drawing the connectors out, using the numbers shown in the tech manual, there are two mistakes

The pins shown as 5 and 6 need to be swapped:

Pin 5 - blue black - gauge
Pin 6 - black blue - +ve supply from fuse

Please note again, these are not the numbers of the actual connectors
February 1965 230SL Automatic
UK delivered RHD
Papyrus white, blue hard top & hub caps
Blue soft top
Blue leather

acbrock

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #29 on: May 27, 2024, 11:58:11 »
Here is a Pic of the Female side.  The male side came out super blurry so I need to retake... I will that up soon.
Thanks for all the help...

1966 230SL Automatic 717G Papyrus White "Minny"

lpeterssen

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #30 on: May 27, 2024, 12:33:25 »
Invert the Blue /black with the Black /blue

Best regards
L.Peterssen
Www.wiredoktor.com

BobH

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #31 on: May 27, 2024, 13:23:22 »
The vacant pin isn't used on 230's

If the male connector matches, after swapping the blue/black and black blue, i would try the gauge again by shorting out at the sender.  Did you replace the reserve fuel lamp, have you seen that work yet?
February 1965 230SL Automatic
UK delivered RHD
Papyrus white, blue hard top & hub caps
Blue soft top
Blue leather

acbrock

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #32 on: May 27, 2024, 18:05:33 »
Ok so this the Male Side.  So this is right.  So I will swap the Blue/Black and Black blue.  Then I will try again.  I replaced the bulb in the Instrument Cluster for the Reserve but I have not seen it light up yet.  I have to take it out again so I will try and find a way to test it on my bench.  (It has to come out because when I put the Speedo back in after freeing the needle, I guess I did not get the cable far enough on the speedo.  So I am not getting speed and the odometers are not spinning, so I just need to shove it on farther.
1966 230SL Automatic 717G Papyrus White "Minny"

acbrock

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #33 on: May 28, 2024, 23:06:32 »
SUCCESS!  Flipped that wire and tested.  Got the Reserve Fuel light on for the first time in a long while and when I jump plug the Fuel gage went to full.  When I plugged into the sender it move up but below the bottom tick.  Could just be that I am super low on gas.  Would not be a shock if that was the case.  I think have about 150 miles on the tank and I am not sure how full it was...  So hopefully solved all the problems.  Still just need to pull the instruments again so that I can tighten in the Speedo Cable.  So off to get some gas!
1966 230SL Automatic 717G Papyrus White "Minny"

lpeterssen

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #34 on: May 28, 2024, 23:08:47 »
Congratulations Aaron

Leester

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #35 on: May 28, 2024, 23:33:59 »
Outstanding -way to go.
Lee Backus
1963 220SE Cabriolet
1970 280SL (reassembling - hopefully soon)
1978 450SL (disassembled for paint)
1985 500SEC

acbrock

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #36 on: May 28, 2024, 23:36:53 »
Full tank! Whahooo!
1966 230SL Automatic 717G Papyrus White "Minny"

BobH

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #37 on: May 29, 2024, 09:22:50 »
That's good news Aaron

I'd like to update the manual with your pictures, for the sake of accuracy, can you please make a couple of changes

The female connector, where one pin is vacant, can you add a note "not used on 230's, on 280's brown/white"

and the two bottom left wires are grey/blue and grey/violet

Same on the male connector

Thanks
February 1965 230SL Automatic
UK delivered RHD
Papyrus white, blue hard top & hub caps
Blue soft top
Blue leather

acbrock

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #38 on: May 29, 2024, 13:07:33 »
Definitely. I will get those done today!
1966 230SL Automatic 717G Papyrus White "Minny"

acbrock

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #39 on: May 30, 2024, 14:34:49 »
So when I got the instruments back out... I was wrong.  The Speedo cable was NOT loose!  I never connected it!  But thought I would post a pic of everything working!  Whahooo.

* also I will get those pics for the tech manual soon.
« Last Edit: May 30, 2024, 16:11:15 by acbrock »
1966 230SL Automatic 717G Papyrus White "Minny"

Pawel66

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #40 on: May 30, 2024, 16:29:30 »
Feels very rewarding, doesn't it? :)
Pawel

280SL 1970 automatic 180G Silver
W128 220SE
W121 190SL
G-class

lpeterssen

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #41 on: May 30, 2024, 16:33:21 »
Dear Aaron:

I am very happy for you, because you  finally  managed to sort out things with your pagoda.  There is nothing better than fixing things with your own effort.

Best regards
Eng.Leonardo Peterssen
Www.wiredoktor.com

AndrewB

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #42 on: May 30, 2024, 21:19:36 »
Well done Aaron ! It has been a fascinating journey to witness, you must feel a great sense if accomplishment
1969 280SL (unrestored)
1970 280SL (fully restored)
1971 Range Rover Suffix A Kingsley Restomod
1987 500SL
2002 Porsche 996 Targa
2011 Landrover Defender TdCi
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acbrock

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #43 on: May 31, 2024, 17:10:04 »
It feels great. I was not sure there for a little while!  Definitely could not have done any of this without this forum.  And now "Minny" know each other a whole lot better!  So that is the first time in the 20 years I have owned the car that everything worked on a drive.  I even got the Dash Light to come on when the door opens!
1966 230SL Automatic 717G Papyrus White "Minny"

acbrock

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #44 on: June 06, 2024, 22:35:17 »
Bob,
Sorry this took so long but here are the pics.  Let me know if you want me to change anything on them.  I have them as Photoshop Files, so easy to make adjustments.  I was going to email them directly to you but don't see how to attach files in the email section...
1966 230SL Automatic 717G Papyrus White "Minny"

BobH

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #45 on: June 07, 2024, 08:01:28 »
Hello Aaron, just one change, pin 6 should be SW/BL

Thanks
February 1965 230SL Automatic
UK delivered RHD
Papyrus white, blue hard top & hub caps
Blue soft top
Blue leather

acbrock

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #46 on: June 08, 2024, 05:22:30 »
I will correct and repost.
1966 230SL Automatic 717G Papyrus White "Minny"

acbrock

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Re: Fuel Gage Not Working
« Reply #47 on: June 09, 2024, 19:55:51 »
Wow can't believe I labeled them both the same. Oh well... Fixed! 
1966 230SL Automatic 717G Papyrus White "Minny"